ROME – Iran has responded to requests by Italy for the release of an arrest Italian travel blogger, Alessia Piperno, who apparently was caught up inadvertently in Iranian women’s protests in Tehran, by saying that travellers “must respect the rules of the country,” Iranian media said Tuesday.

   Piperno was celebrating her 30th birthday with her, mostly European, friends in Tehran when she was arrested last week for supposedly taking part in an anti-government protest by Iranian women demonstrating following the killing by police of a Kurdish woman arrested for wearing a veil incorrectly.

 An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kassani, was quoted by Iranian media saying  “Iran is a safe place to travel for tourism and business, but they must respect the rules of the country.” Piperno’s father, Alberto told Italian media that she was not involved in the anti-government protests happening in Tehran, but instead an innocent passer-by who had been wrongly arrested.

 Piperno’s social media prior to her arrest showed her actively learning about Iranian culture on her trip, including “proper” use of the veil. She expressed her concern for the young women and other youth protesting the government after the arrest and death of the Kurdish young woman, Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for not wearing her veil properly.

 Kassani went on to say that “Western countries want to give us lessons in democracy, but allow Iranian embassies in their countries to be attacked.”

 “Investigations are continuing, and countries and their respective embassies will be updated as soon as possible,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said.

  Piperno’s father said he has “sadly” not received any news on his daughter’s arrest and “prefers silence at this time.” This left her family and many Italian institutions anxiously awaiting more news on the arrest.

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